EB-1A Appeals: Law
Last updated 2026-09-02
The AAO dismissed 72.6% of EB-1A appeals from Law petitioners in published non-precedent decisions from 2001–2025 (n=62). The criterion most often at issue was Prizes or awards.
Outcomes by Year
| Year | Dismissed | Sustained | Remanded | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 (—) | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 2024 | 6 (—) | 0 | 5 | 11 |
| 2023 | 0 (—) | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 (—) | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| 2021 | 2 (—) | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 2020 | 2 (—) | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2019 | 2 (—) | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2018 | 5 (—) | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2017 | 3 (—) | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2016 | 2 (—) | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2015 | 4 (—) | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2014 | 3 (—) | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2013 | 2 (—) | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 (—) | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2009 | 2 (—) | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2005 | 2 (—) | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2001 | 0 (—) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Criteria Breakdown
| Criterion | In Dismissed | In Sustained | Total | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prizes or awards | 29 | 1 | 38 | 76.3% |
| Leading or critical role | 22 | 2 | 33 | 66.7% |
| Judging | 18 | 3 | 29 | 62.1% |
| Membership in associations | 24 | 1 | 28 | 85.7% |
| Original contributions of major significance | 18 | 2 | 27 | 66.7% |
| Authorship of scholarly articles | 16 | 3 | 26 | 61.5% |
| Published material about the alien | 11 | 2 | 20 | 55.0% |
| High salary or remuneration | 9 | 0 | 15 | — |
Example Decisions
Sustained2019-05-24The appeal was sustained because the AAO found that the petitioner met the evidentiary criteria for published material a
Sustained2001-10-10The appeal was sustained because the AAO found the petitioner met at least three regulatory criteria, reversing the init
Sustained2020-07-28The appeal was sustained because the AAO concluded that the petitioner, a human rights lawyer, established her extraordi
Dismissed2025-02-13The appeal was dismissed because the petitioner failed to satisfy the required number of evidentiary criteria. For the '
Dismissed2020-03-23The appeal was dismissed because, despite meeting three initial evidentiary criteria, the evidence in its totality did n
Dismissed2019-09-05The motion to reconsider was denied because the petitioner failed to establish that the previous AAO decision was incorr
Dismissed2018-12-11The AAO denied the motions to reopen and reconsider because the petitioner failed to demonstrate any error in the previo
Dismissed2015-05-05This decision addresses a fifth motion after multiple prior denials. The AAO grants the motion to reopen but dismisses t
In sustained EB-1A appeals for Law petitioners, the AAO credited evidence such as published material about the petitioner in major media or professional publications; peer-reviewed publications with documented scholarly reception. Dismissed cases most often lacked that the awards were nationally or internationally recognized (not merely regional or local); sustained national or international acclaim in the final merits determination.
Sample: published AAO non-precedent decisions collected from uscis.gov, 2001–2025. These are appeals, not all USCIS adjudications; approval rates here are not initial-filing approval rates. Read our full methodology.
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